I went to a salvage yard today for a part for a 2005 Toyota Sienna. And lo and behold, they just got a 1997 Deville in three days ago. It'* in really good shape. It'* a great donor car with a matching interior as mine. It looks like someone had already gone for the shock air control on one side.

They left the driver'* side window open! Arggh. I'm going back tomorrow and covering that door. I don't want rain killing the driver'* side door panel if I need parts. Is there a way to power the motor and window back up with a powerful source of some kind and the door panel off?

Also, with this vehicle'* known history, are there some parts I should get just to be safe - common things to go?

"common things to GET?"

It'* a judgement call. The parts aren't going to be around at the yards much longer, and nobody makes replacement parts, so you could get parts that are unique, or get a whole spare donor car, up to you and your resources. Things like window motors, regulators, wheel bearings, and stuff that'* probably shared with other cars you can forget about until you need one, and then order from a parts supplier. The main thing I'd look for if I were you is exterior trim and light assemblies. Nobody makes that stuff and it all gets weathered and broken early in the digestion cycle.

As for getting that window up, you'd have to be able to turn the ignition cylinder to be able to do anything easily. If that is possible, you can hotwire a 12V drill battery to the battery terminals and then turn the ignition to accessory and roll the window up. If it still works.

All good advice. Didt think about the trim. Good idea. And since the side view was an issue maybe anoher mirror. This salvage yard isnt the cheapest so going to have to pick and choose. Are rhe air ride motor and components unique to my Deville or same ones used on other GM vehicles? I believe mine is not working as it should. Sometimes on first start I will here a whirring from left rear wheel area, and I dont see any change or motion.

A 12V power tool battery wouldnt be able tfo get enough powert ot the computer and dash display would it? Would like to see how many miles are on it so I know the age of some of these components I might grab.

This platform was only shared with the Seville.

It is probably just filling the reservoir. It probably bleeds down while parked for a while.

Yeah, it would. You might be able to get the odometer to light up without a key. I'm not sure how far back it goes, but since at least 2001 GM has had the odometer light up whenever the magic toggle/reset button gets depressed (while the ignition is off). On vehicles without the magic button, there is usually some other button on the dash that will do the same. Not sure if this feature goes back to 1997 and/or your car.

Magic button on a 2000 Silverado:

[QUOTE=CathedralCub;1649276]This platform was only shared with the Seville.

Someone else suggested the Buicks and other shared this equipment/design. Not accurate?

They shared a lot and made a lot of unique stuff. In 1997ish they had decided that all of the big sedans would have the same platform except for how many of them were different in little or big ways. This page does about as good a job as any of explaining this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genera..._platform_(FWD)

As for parts similarities, I wish I knew of a good resource. upullandpay.com was better than many when I used to go there all the time.